Accepting My Twin Mates

Astennu

It had been a pleasant surprise to see Alpha Matias and Thiago so soon after they had seen us off the previous night. What wasn't so pleasant was seeing Catalina again. Her smile was overly sweet and her eyes were those of a predator, set on Badru and me.

My focus shifted to the man just behind, Adrian, who made a beeline straight for Evie. I had trained with him on several occasions and, unlike Badru who seemed to get along with him, he irritated the s**t out of me; I could never understand wh as he had never done anything in particular. Both my brother and I tried to concentrate on greeting the others with Alpha Matias, Julieta, his Luna, Leah, Thiago’s mate, Elisabeth, his other daughter, and her mate, William, whom I had never met. H was the one she had run off to go claim not long after my brother and I arrived in Opal Sun. But my gaze kept lurching to Evi and how she smiled at Adrian... I wanted that smile... and the fact that her smile hadn't been aimed at me made breathing a sudden task. Their easy interaction stirred a sickening jealousy.

To learn she had almost taken him as a chosen mate rocked me to my core.

Schooling my expression to something more neutral, Badru and I rejoined our parents, who were still speaking with Alpha Matias and our Beta Kate, with her mate, Lance. If I stayed nearby Evie's scent and intoxicating pheromones any longer I may do something I would regret, only adding to my list of transgressions.

To my annoyance, that damned Adrian had rejoined his Alpha, speaking to Elisabeth's mate, William. Not only did I have to contend with blanking Catalina’s flirtatious looks, I had to ignore his knowing and teasing grin.

“You Alphas ok? You look as though you've heard something dreadful,” Adrian spoke with a suppressed smirk, drawing all attention to my brother and me.

“It's like you think I won't kill you in front of everyone; I mind-linked, attempting to suppress the glare I wanted to send him which only made his f*****g grin spread wider.

“Now I'm realising why we hate this guy, Aasim grumbled.

“We're fine,” Badru answered aloud with impressive restraint and control that I never thought I would see. Whereas I felt I was about to come undone. What the hell was Evie doing to us?

“Maybe the three of us could talk later,” Catalina remarked as her group moved on to grab something to eat. “Or even have a dance or two?"

“Id rather chew glass, my brother frowned.

Neither of us bothered responding and just said a polite goodbye.

“I know she isn't your fated mate, but she would make a fine Luna to you both nonetheless,” our father coaxed. We knew hoy much he and Matias had hoped our packs would be unified through a mate bond, but it wasn't in the cards.

“Too bad Elisabeth wasn't mated to you either, such a wonderful young she-wolf” our mother sighed, linking her arm through our father's. “What a pity she now lives in that pack, with that vagabond hippy Luna."

And here we went again.

My mother never hid her displeasure of the Luna, Grace, to the pack south of us. Ashen Star pack in Oregon was a far more free-spirited pack than here in Two Moons. Luna Grace was a former rogue, so unsurprisingly, our mom held a certain dislike of her. The last time she and her Alpha were here, she certainly made an amusing spectacle of herself. Personally, I thought Ashen Star's Luna was quite funny and kind. Maybe once my brother and I took over from our father, we could try and reconcile our packs. While I was sure their heir didn't care for Badru or me, his younger brothers, identical twins also, were 3 lot of fun.

“I think we're going to get some food too,” Beta Kate placed her hand in the crook of her mate's arm.

“We've got to keep your strength up now,” Lance spread a loving hand on her stomach.

“Wait... are you..2" I looked between them.

Kate shared a knowing smile with my mother, nodding. “It's still early so we're not telling many yet and I haven't done a test to fully confirm, but, yes. We're expecting!”

She-wolves could sense quite early when they were pregnant. Their wolves could feel the first signs of life as the bond formed and fathers usually felt it a little later as the pup grew. It was something in recent years I had been aching to feel for myself.

“Our son is still being a little weird about it. He's barely said two words since he returned and we told him," Lance casta glum look over to Finley.

To my surprise, I had barely noticed him all evening. He was uncharacteristically subdued. I couldn't imagine news of a new pup would quieten him like this. What else was going on with him?

“You telling them about the little bun and the oven?” Tamlyn chuckled, wandering over to us with her mate, Suzanna. “And I suppose a welcome back is in order too."

“We'll leave you younger ones to talk,” Kate smiled warmly and strode off with her mate and my parents.

“You know Evie, right?" I spoke lowly to Tamlyn, now my mother and father were out of earshot.

“Train her all the time. She's incredibly cool and loves to talk s**t about you two,” she indicated between my brother and I. “It's why we bonded so well”

Her smirk never dropped once.

“You know, don't you?' I eyed both her and her mate.

“Yep, Suzanna answered.

“Can you help us? How do we do this?’ Badru practically begged.

“Oh no, sweet child. You figure out how to get out of your own hole yourselves. I don't think either of you fully grasp how much of a hurdle you have with her, Tamlyn quirked her brow in our rough directions. “Well, maybe you do, Aste. Captain oblivious here, on the other hand; she elbowed Badru in the side, making him grimace. Only I knew how ticklish he was. “There is no simple sorry and she'll accept you.

“I think they get the point, Tam, Suzanna interrupted. “We should probably leave the Alphas to their adoring fans that look st eager to say hi!

She nodded to the hopeful faces wanting our attention but waiting so they wouldn't be interrupting. We tried to be polite and move on between guests as wolf males introduced their daughters, sisters and other she-wolf relatives. I could only hope that Evie didn't read into any of this. Her music was her own siren song, drawing our attention to her constantly. I found myself staring without even realising, her bare neck on full display. A neck I wanted my mark placed, one that would advertise she was claimed. I kept seeing other males looking her way. Did she even notice? Did she have any idea how utterI enchanting she was? Did she even know how showing her unmarked neck was not only driving me and Badru insane, it was also showing other males she was available?

My thoughts spiralled, hearing her words over and over again. She almost took another as her mate...

What if another male here took her fancy, one that hadn't hurt her... one without a fault in her eyes.

Goddess, I needed a drink. But the amber liquid of expensive scotch tasted bitter. I tried to eat but everything felt heavy in my stomach. All except the apple custard slice.

“Am I just being a pining pup, or does this dessert smell like Evie?’ My brother frowned, looking down at the dessert plate. This was one of our favourite things that ever came out of the kitchen. Its heavenly smell of vanilla and spice always calmed me. And my brother was right, it smelt exactly like Evie... did she make this? Did she make other favourites of ours?

She had been so close for so many years and I knew virtually nothing about her.

“The movement of dark gold standing just above most of the crowd drew my attention once more. She was heading to grab something to eat as the band began to start up now that most of the dinner service was winding up.

“Marceau!” My father called out from where he sat beside us at our table as we finished eating. “If you'll excuse me, I need t¢ discuss some work with him.”

Marceau was a French wolf he did business with. Badru and I had spoken with him on a handful of occasions.

“Does he ever stop working?” I shook my head, admiring my dad's commitment to the pack.

“An Alpha's work never ends. The two of you will learn that when the time comes for you to take over. And it will be easier i you have someone by your side, a Luna,” our mother nudged oh-so subtly again. “I just know she'll be a good, proper young woman from an impeccable family. That's exactly what you deserve.”

My mouth formed a tight line. Those things were irrelevant to me. You could have all the “proper upbringing’ imaginable and still turn out like a hemar (a*s). Our would-be Beta was a prime example.

“She's gonna throw a fit when she finds out. Dad too; Badru exhaled loudly at the side of me.

“They can fit all they want. It's happening, I replied, trying to find Evie's figure again.

I'spotted her again at the back of the hall... with Finley, who was bent over a little and starting to stumble away.

“Did he do something?!’ I mind-linked Evie, my body rigid in anger.

“He didn't do s**t! Just keep your Beta on a f*****g leash, she snapped. “And keep him away from the kitchens.

“Why there?’ Badru questioned.

“ust do it!"

“Are you boys quite alright? You've been rather distracted and you don't seem to be enjoying yourselves? I didn't go overboard, did I?" Our mother broke my concentration with her unnecessary fretting. “Why don't you ask one of the lovely ladies to dance? I'm sure they'd be happy to."

“Maybe later, mom,” my brother stood. His eyes had never left Finley, following him as he went straight to the kitchens. Whatever the reason Evie didn’t want him near there, neither of us were about to fail in what she had asked of us.

I'stood with him and we tried to make our way through the crowd as quickly as possible, a difficult task with people wanting to talk. Through the swing door, the kitchen was fairly quiet. Most of the staff were grabbing up something to eat after working hard all evening. Following Finley's scent through to the back, I heard two voices coming from the large pantry, his and a she-wolf's. Neither sounded friendly. Opening the door, the scene before us could not be explained away as anything untoward. Ice lay all over the floor and his hand was clutching a small she-wolf’s elbow. She looked to be trying to pull away from him, very much defiant with only a hint of fear on her face.

Both their attention snapped to my brother and I as the door slowly closed behind us.

“What the f**k are you doing?” Badru growled out in threat, his anger aimed solely at Finley.

Finley's hand dropped instantly and he tried to give some lame smile, as though this was nothing. The red hair of the little she-wolf was familiar... Evie’s friend... Lucy, I think her name was. As s00n as she was released, she moved away and I pushes her behind us on instinct.

“Unless you want me to stuff your body into one of these freezers, start talking, I snarled.

“What,” he chuckled nervously. ” It's noth...

Badru pinned him to the door of the tall freezer before he finished, using his forearm to press against Fin's throat." Try me, fuckface. I dare your"

“She's my mate, ok?!” He wheezed, trying and failing to push my brother off of him and appearing shocked by the level of hostility.

“Is that true?” I turned to Lucy behind me, who looked at Finley with nothing but disdain.

She nodded, “not that I want anything to do with him anymore.”

“This isn't something recent. He's known for a while! Aasim growled. The notion of anyone abusing the mate bond sent the two of us seeing red.

Fin had made no secret of boasting about his conquests. Some may have been exaggerated, but I knew most weren't.

“How long?” I tried to keep my calm asking the small she-wolf.

“..Four months ago,” she whispered. “I've tried rejecting the bond but he won't accept it. He's been using it against me,” she lifted her chin up, confidence radiating from her. “I just want my freedom from our bond. Right now.”

“Well? You heard her” Badru pressed on his neck further.

“Now?” He struggled to get out. “What the hell happened to bros before ho..."

At that point, Badru released him, only to rear his fist back and drive it into Finley's jaw, sending him crashin

freezer door and sliding to the floor.